The 8 Critical Tools of Exhaust Work

Mar 20, 2016

Legato Performance offers kits for a wide range of applications from Camaros and Challengers to Ford Mustangs and F150’s. By far, the hardest part of any installation is the removal of the original exhaust. If your vehicle is under five years old, dealing with corrosion and general under chassis dirt will be easier than if your system has had time to settle in place. Regardless, often the factory system requires significant force to “dislodge” from your vehicle. Here are some of the tools that will make your installation that much easier.

For vehicles that are driven in snow or experience road salt, it is recommended to squirt a little penetrating oil on the clamps and joints the night before you are going to remove your old exhaust to just give you a head start at breaking things free.

A rubber hammer can also be helpful in loosening tubing during the initial stages. Never use a steel hammer as it can dent the tubing causing it to lock in place. And when using the rubber hammer – make sure you don’t hit too hard or the same result can occur.

A pry bar is handy for removing the rubber isolators from the hangers that hold up your exhaust. If you don't have a pry bar, a long screwdriver can be helpful. Remember when using these tools to take care to avoid poking a hole in your gas tank, tires, fuel lines or other components in the rear of your vehicle. Of course, avoid personal injury at all costs!

A tape measure is useful in measuring off where to cut the original exhaust tubing. Most certainly it is good to compare the fitment on the new Legato Performance exhaust to your original system. Not all factory exhaust systems are the same and there can be running changes in any model year that will cause a slight difference in where you should cut through the tubing. Remember, measure twice, cut once – no truer words were ever spoken.

When cutting through the factory stainless steel (not all Legato Performance systems require this), use a new blade in your hacksaw or Saws All. These exhaust systems are tough stuff so a fresh blade will make your life much easier.

After making the cut, use a file or deburring tool to remove the sharp edge from the metal. Nothing cuts your skin faster than a sharp piece of metal and stainless steel has no feeling – and it won’t feel bad if you end up in the emergency room.

WD40 or similar lubricant works wonders on isolators to help them slide on and off of the hanger rods. Don’t get messy, but a little lube will make them far easier to deal with.

Finally, a combination wrench or socket wrench is required to tighten the clamps that hold your system in place. Make sure you have the correctly sized wrench or you could round off the fasteners.

Extra credit:If you live in the rest belt, you might require a “heat wrench” to cut clamps and exhaust parts free. If that is the case, you need to, again, be very careful of the surrounding parts. Gas tanks, fuel lines and other delicate parts hate open flame. Be careful.

*Customer satisfaction with purchased Legato Exhaust Systems can only be guaranteed if the stock system has not been otherwise modified. Note that removal of factory resonators will always result in excessive drone. Use of H-pipes or X-pipes may result in unsatisfactory sound compared to what Legato Performance supplies on an otherwise stock system.